Disappointment

"You filthy peasants really have some nerve! How dare you attack a Dragonmarsh officer! I swear you'll all pay for this!"

Bound in rope, Zhao Hu struggled and shouted threats.

Without a word, Margaret raised her hand and slapped him several times across the face. The blows left Zhao Hu dizzy, his cheeks swollen and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"A man like you is fit to serve as an officer of the Dragonmarsh? I will personally see to it that you're dismissed and investigated!"

"Dismiss and investigate me? Hah! Who do you think you are? What a joke!" Zhao Hu showed no fear at all.

He was, after all, a trusted subordinate of Li Wenxing. Aside from the royal family, no one had the authority to remove him from office.

"Enough!"

Just then, a stern voice rang out from behind.

Clad in protective gear, Li Wenxing arrived on the scene with a large entourage.

Seeing him, Zhao Hu’s expression lit up with delight. "Hahaha... His Highness is here! You people are finished!"

Margaret lifted her gaze, her expression unchanged.

"Your Highness..."

"Shut up!"

Before Zhao Hu could finish, Li Wenxing cut him off with a sharp rebuke.

Then turning to Margaret, he forced a smile. "Margaret, what brings you here? Why didn’t you inform me beforehand?"

"I heard the plague in Wugang City had worsened, so I brought a team to help. But your officer here not only failed to cooperate --- he actively obstructed our efforts. I want to know, did you approve of this, Brother?" Margaret said coldly.

"Something like this happened?"

Li Wenxing frowned and turned to Zhao Hu, scolding, "Zhao Hu! Have you lost your mind? How dare you block Her Highness the Princess of Anyang? You'll receive fifty strikes with the military rod when we return!"

"I..."

Zhao Hu opened his mouth to defend himself, but one look from Li Wenxing made him swallow his words.

He hadn’t expected that the Princess of Anyang would actually come to a plague-ridden slum.

But from the look of things today, he was about to become the scapegoat.

"Don’t worry, Margaret. He delayed your work --- I’ll make sure he's properly punished," Li Wenxing assured.

"Brother, we’ll deal with him later. Right now, the priority is treating those infected with the plague. You’ve locked them all inside the slums and left them to their own fate --- aren’t you just letting them die?" Margaret’s tone grew cold.

"Margaret, I had no choice,"

Li Wenxing said with a look of helplessness. "The lockdown was to prevent the plague from spreading, to minimize casualties. No one expected the plague to mutate. I was caught completely off guard --- I truly didn’t know what to do."

"Even so, you can’t just imprison people! Do you realize that in the quarantine zone there are not only patients, but also many healthy civilians? What you’ve done is throw them straight into a pit of fire!" Margaret said, voice rising in anger.

It was understandable to isolate those infected, to prevent further spread.

But locking up healthy people together with the sick, then abandoning them entirely --- what difference was there from sheer cruelty?

"What? There are healthy people in the quarantine zone?"

Li Wenxing looked left and right in feigned surprise. "Zhao Hu! Did you arrest the wrong people? I only ordered you to quarantine plague victims. Why are healthy civilians in there?"

"I... I don’t know either..."

Zhao Hu explained bitterly, "They were all gathered together. Who could tell who was infected? To prevent an outbreak, I detained them all --- for the greater good!"

"Foolish!"

Li Wenxing glared. "You’ll be demoted two ranks as further punishment!"

Hearing this, Margaret frowned slightly.

Being demoted two ranks --- what difference was that from a verbal warning?

Zhao Hu was Li Wenxing’s trusted officer. His rank could be restored with a single command.

Besides, Margaret didn’t believe Zhao Hu acted alone. Without Li Wenxing’s orders, who would dare imprison so many civilians on their own?

But clearly, Li Wenxing wasn’t planning to admit anything.

To pursue the matter any further would be meaningless --- just a waste of time.

Even if she demanded justice, the most that would happen is Zhao Hu taking the blame.

She knew her brother all too well. And that very knowledge was what left her so deeply disappointed.

"Brother, if you truly want to help, send over more supplies. If not, then I suggest you leave before you catch the plague yourself. It’s not worth the risk," Margaret said, taking a deep breath, ultimately holding back her anger.

"Help? Of course I’ll help!"

Li Wenxing nodded repeatedly, then gave a command: "Zhao Hu! Take your troops and gather all nearby supplies. Cooperate with Her Highness in treating the sick!"

"Yes, sir!"

Zhao Hu, now freed from his bonds, didn’t dare hesitate. He immediately led his men away.

Margaret gave Li Wenxing a long, searching look, said nothing more, and turned back to treating the infected. - Ton

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